In this 1984 file photo originally released by Columbia Pictures, Ralph Macchio, left, and Pat Morita are shown in a scene from "The Karate Kid." (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures)

(Newser)
–
Growing up, controversial Jeopardy champ Arthur Chu had plenty of "Asian heroes" pushed on him by his parents. "I got the sense ... that their ideal kid would be someone with the quiet, charming naiveté of [The Goonies'] Data and the calm equanimity and unwavering discipline of a Master Po and the impeccably coiffed hair of George Takei," Chu writes in the Daily Beast. But all of those characters are "freaking boring," because they are exactly the type of "good examples" and "role models" we expect Asians to be. "Perfect people don’t get to be the protagonist of the story, because you can’t tell a story about perfect people. Perfect people end up the side character, the rival, or the best friend, or the wise old mentor." What the Asian community really needs is "more villains," Chu writes. Enter Suey Park.

Park is the controversial activist who started the #CancelColbert uproar, and Chu thinks she's "crazy" and a "jerk." But he's happy she exists, because he likes the idea of a world where people can just be themselves, rather than having to worry about being "a credit to [their] race." He thinks that's also why, despite the fact that he was seen by many as a "game show villain" due to the way he played Jeopardy, "Asian viewers from all over the country were flocking to my side, giving me their support, telling me I was awesome, calling me their hero." Because after spending a lifetime viewed as a "model minority," many Asians are ready and "willing to play the 'thug,' the 'rebel,' the 'villain.'" Click for Chu's full column.

Having lived in Asia for over 12 years, I'm more aware than many Americans, I suspect, of the influence of the harmony principle on Asian behavior. My experiences in Indonesia help me to appreciate why Arthur might want to see "bad" Asians, but I can assure you that the harmony principle has a bad side to it. Whereas Americans tend to want to resolve conflicts, Asians tend to want to avoid them because it is easier to protect a person's reputation (aka saving face), yours or someone else's, through avoidance and dishonesty. Just as not all Americans seek to resolve conflict (traditional Deep South values, for example), not all Asians adhere to the harmony principle. Asians may appear to be the good guys, but that is because of conformity, and that is only skin deep. We all know how stupid it is to judge what we can see of a person. I've met some wonderful Asians, and I've had the great displeasure of meeting some terrible ones, and I can say the same for other groups of people. While Asians may be too prone to conformity and saving face at the expense of individual happiness, Americans may be too ready to engage in problem-solving that leads to violent conflict, also at the expense of individual happiness. A middle path is clearly available between these two extremes, so why is Arthur not promoting something like that, instead of hoping for more bad people? Don't we have enough bad people in the world as it is? Isn't it about time that we work towards becoming better people, no matter our nationality, ethnicity, religion, etc., and learn how to live together instead of throwing up more bad role models?

TwoSheds

Apr 8, 2014 6:37 AM CDT

Maybe he should have watched Buck Rogers instead

iq145

Apr 7, 2014 6:36 PM CDT

What? We Need More Asian Villains? We have plenty enough in North Korea!!! (Some in Japan too)